Anti-Stepbrother(45)

She started laughing. “Really?”

“You say stupid things. You sound stupid.” It wasn’t the best argument, but hey, it was true. She was stupid.

“What are you? Five?”

Maybe, but I wasn’t done. I gave her a savage smile. When she saw it, she started laughing again. Obviously, she was not taking me seriously. All the better.

I softened my voice. “I don’t know who you dated before Marcus, but you messed up. Big time. You should’ve stuck with that guy.”

I cut to Kevin, ignoring how angry he seemed. “You’re stupid too. You picked a girl who’s just like you. Congratulations. Are you going to cheat first or is she? Or are you both already cheating?”

Maggie’s laughter dried up.

Satisfaction bloomed in me. I threw all caution to the wind. “Kevin, what are you thinking? You’re like the bitch in this relationship. You were hiding in your room from Caden and Marcus. Then when you got caught, you threw a temper tantrum. You didn’t even man up when you moved. You had to sneak behind everyone’s backs, like a sulking little kid, and now where are you? You’re still hiding, but at your girlfriend’s house. Do you really love her that much? She’s going to get sick of you. It’s obvious she wants Marcus back. What do you think when she leaves the house and you’re not with her? Do you remember all the times you’ve left a girlfriend behind to go see the next one? Are you thinking about all the excuses you’ve used? Has she used any of the same ones on you?”

“You’re such a bitch.”

I turned back to Maggie. “I can graduate fast from being a five year old.” I lifted an eyebrow, throwing my head back in a defiant challenge. “But can you? Because that’s what cheating is. It’s immature, and selfish, and narrow-minded thinking. Anyone who dates you after knowing what you’re like is a goddamn idiot.”

I could feel Kevin’s anger rising. I’d handed him his ass on a platter and served it up hot. I was done supporting him, or at least done being his wallflower. I felt a stirring inside of me. The hole that my feelings for him had helped cover up was opening. I gulped. I didn’t want to feel that hole, so I tore my thoughts away. I had a few more moments before he’d explode, and when that happened, I didn’t trust what Caden would do.

Maggie jerked toward me, “I don’t think—”

Marcus and Caden both moved forward, but Avery stepped in front of them, her hands on her hips. “I don’t think you have anything more to say here, do you?”

There was a warning in those words, and everyone felt it. Avery threw down the friendship gauntlet. She’d been hurt by Maggie, but she got over it and remained friends with her. Now Maggie was throwing it all away. Correction—Maggie was stomping all over their friendship tonight. There was no going back, for any of us.

I felt Kevin’s gaze and snuck a peek.

He was simmering, his eyes locked on me, and I could almost see the steam rising out of his ears. We’d have words. I had no doubt about that. His eyes slid to Caden’s hand, which was on my stomach as he was still half holding me in place.

Maggie said something. Avery responded. Then Marcus joined in. The three of them were having an exchange, but Kevin, Caden, and I were involved in a different sort of exchange. Okay. Maybe it was really just Kevin and me, but even though it was silent, I felt it was the loudest.

I didn’t want to stay there. I ducked around Caden’s hand, but Kevin stopped me.

He snarled down at me. “How long have you been sleeping with him?”

I went still. Could he—no. Kevin couldn’t see how I felt about Caden…could he?

Kevin wasn’t done. “Was I just the warm-up, or did I give you the taste for screwing? Everyone’s been talking about Banks’ new friend, but I didn’t know it was you. Or maybe you think of me when he’s inside you—”

He went too far.

Caden grabbed Kevin’s throat and lifted him up, holding him against the wall.

Avery gasped. Marcus swore, launching forward and trying to pull his brother off. Maggie, for once, had no words. Her eyes got big, and she fell back, standing next to Avery. Her hand reached for Avery’s, as if she would comfort her. I snorted at that, feeling white-hot panic at the same time. I didn’t know what Caden was going to do.

I hurried forward, right alongside Marcus, and while he was trying to pull Caden’s hand away from Kevin, I yelled, “Stop!”

Caden ignored both of us. He was that damn boulder again, and he leaned close to say something in Kevin’s ear. I paused, my heart slamming against my chest, and watched as Kevin went completely still, his eyes sliding to me before he nodded.